The Flourish Award – An exhibition of contemporary printmaking

Finding inspiration during quarantine
11th June 2020
Louise Garman x Ivona Torovin in Castlefield Gallery Associates discussion
24th March 2021
Finding inspiration during quarantine
11th June 2020
Louise Garman x Ivona Torovin in Castlefield Gallery Associates discussion
24th March 2021

The Flourish Award – An exhibition of contemporary printmaking

The Flourish Award – An exhibition of contemporary printmaking featuring Louise Garman from Aug 1st – Sept 12th Piazza Centre Huddersfield (Tuesday, Friday & Saturday 11am – 4pm)

Louise Garman is a multi-media artist with a studio both at home and at neo:artists in Bolton. She utilises drawing, photography, sculpture, video and silkscreen printing.

“I contrast opposites like ugliness and beauty, life and death, black and white, harsh and tender. I create experimental multi-media images with the volume turned up to the max. My art deals with abandoned, stark and neglected secret places – the ageing Dungeness nuclear power station, the beautiful and brutal Saddleworth Moor, and the derelict side of Salford. Polluting post-apocalyptic dreams, nightmares and enchantment “.

Louise completed her degree in Fine Art/ Sculpture at Chelsea School of Art in the mid-1070’s, with more recent study at the Slade School of Fine Art in London. She has exhibited her work in group and solo shows in the UK, France, Spain and Sweden, and is an active member of neo:artists, Cross Street Arts and Castlefield Associates in Manchester over the past few years. As well as creating a diverse output in printmaking, photography, sculpture, installation and video, Louise is a professional mural artist.
Her process incorporates wandering through “unwanted” places alone, making drawings, taking photographs and collecting discarded, forgotten items.

“I collate these items, and build uncompromising installations using the objects found on these solitary walks…bird’s nests, sleeping tablets, a child’s mitten, nitrous oxide cannisters…And as I continue to work on these themes, I juxtapose them together, creating new displaced photographic images and silkscreens.”

Her experimental and intuitive approach to making gallery-based work is informed by an immediate connection with physical places and a process of collecting objects and images. Repeating, layering and juxtaposing contrasting elements.”

“In the series “Cars over Saddleworth Moor”, I have overdone the image, underdone the image, improvised, and layered the inks in translucent, bold colourways. I have strived to break free of the conventional by layering the prints using tracing paper. It’s all about the journey, and each of my journeys has been documented. Initially, I believed that my practise was reflecting society, and our greed and non-caring attitude towards our environment. I then realised that my choice of subject was saying more about me as an artist through the process of observation and selection. Subconsciously, I have focussed on life and death. And the earth turning round and round, in constant motion…”